1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to holders for plates and cups and more particularly with such arrangements which are single handedly controllable.
2. Prior Art
Dinner functions, parties and buffet type eating assemblies often require a balancing act on behalf of the invitees. The plate is usually held in one hand, the utensils or a drink in the other hand and the remaining item usually placed somewhere and subsequently lost or tipped over. Solutions to enable guests at dinner functions, to hold a plate and a drink simultaneously while being able to eat, have been very poor indeed. Balancing the two while in fact eating is very difficult. An example of the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,251 to Farrell, wherein a plate and cup holder is shown formed from a piece of sheet metal. While the plate and cup holder rather do in fact hold those items, they don't permit the user to readily balance it and eat from the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,974 to Hilliard shows a combination carrying tray, placemat and utensil holder which is constructed in a book like fashion having a pair of holes which, when folded over, provides a space for a drink or a cup to be held. The utensils unfortunately are held within the book like folder and are inherently difficult to get if one was eating from that placemat or tray. U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,469 to Elsmo shows a tray assembly with a cup holder thereon, including means for holding utensils. Unfortunately, no means are shown to help balance the tray or to enable one to eat from it very readily while in fact holding it in ones hands. U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,926 to Mode shows a foldable paper board tray having a cup holding means and several compartments folded thereon. The limited ability of this tray to function as an eating platform is evident.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,959 to Kleiner shows a combination cup and plate holder wherein a clip means is utilized to grab the side of a plate, the clip means having a rounded formed cup holder attached thereto. Balancing of the plate and cup while eating could very easily be a problem here. U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,191 to Cramer and U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,390 to Walsh et al each show a lap type tray for holding a plate and/or a drinking cup. The lap tray characteristics of these devices fail to enable a person to hold it in a single handed manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reusable plate and cup holder assembly which is an improvement over the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a plate and cup holder assembly which is readily controllable by a single hand of the user.